Support for therapy equipment



1965 A. SHEWCHENKO SUPPORT FDR THERAPY EQUIPMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1964 Amm Dec. 14, 1965 A. SHEWCHENKO SUPPORT FOR THERAPY EQUIPMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23. 1964 INVE/VTUP Alexander Skewckemo BY Mm mgw ATTORNEYS fwd,

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jwvenia'r Dec. 14, 1965 A. SHEWCHENKO SUPPORT FOR THERAPY EQUIPMENT Filed Nov. 25, 1964 United States Patent 3,222,692 SUPPORT FOR THERAPY EQUIPMENT Alexander Shewchenlro, Hull, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Ottawa, Ontario,

Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,176 Claims priority, application Canada, Dec. 16, 1963 8 1,327 3 Claims. (Cl. --66) This invention relates to a stretcher suitable for use in conjunction with therapy equipment of the type in which a radiation beam is used to treat a person on the stretcher.

With conventional stretchers the body of the stretcher absorbs part of the radiation beam when the source head is located below the stretcher or when it is rotated around the patient using a rotational therapy unit such as that described in Canadian Patent 513,657 dated June 14, 1955, for an invention by D. T. Green et al. entitled Rotational Therapy Unit. The consequence is that the stretcher interferes with the effectiveness of the treatment, alternatively it may be necessary to place the patient in an uncomfortable position so that absorption by the stretcher can be eliminated. Furthermore, the absorption of the radiation beam by the stretcher is accompanied by some undesirable secondary electron emission which may produce erythema of the patients skin.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved stretcher in which stretcher absorption of the radiation beam is eliminated in areas of the stretcher which can be selected to conform with the requirements of the treatment.

In accordance with this invention, a stretcher is provided comprising a first body supporting section, a second body supporting section spaced from the first body supporting section and a plurality of bars connecting said first and second sections and extending longitudinally of the stretcher, at least one of said bars being movable in a direction transverse of said stretcher to provide alternative positions of voids.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a stretcher in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section view on the line 1-1 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view corresponding to part of FIGURE 1, but showing a different position of the connecting bars;

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 but shows another position of the connecting bars;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 3 but shows a further position of the connecting bars;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the stretcher shown in FIGURE 1, partially in section;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation view corresponding with FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view similar to part of FIGURE 6 but showing an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a stretcher including a first body supporting section 10 which is spaced from a second body supporting section 11. Sections 10 and 11 are preferably constructed as indicated in FIGURE 2 which indicates that the upper surface is a fiat steel plate 12 which may be covered by a suitable surface covering such as a vinyl film 13. The lower surface is provided by a convex aluminum plate 14 which is preferably a casting and the space between plates 12 and 14 may be filled with polyurethane foam as indicated at 15. Section 11 is joined to and supported by a mounting 3,222,692 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 member 16. The stretcher is thus provided with a cantilever support at one end.

Sections 10 and 11 are connected by bars 17 and 18. Bar 17 is mounted on arms 19 and 2t), shaft 21 supports arm 19 and is rotatably mounted in section 11 and shaft 22 supports arm 20 and is rotatably mounted in section 10. Similarly, arms 23 and 24 and shafts 25 and 26 support bar 18. As illustrated in FIGURE 1, bar 17 combines with arms 19 and 20 and bar 18 combines with arms 23 and 24 to provide cranks each of which can be moved to alternative positions. In FIGURE 1, bars 17 and 18 are positioned together so that both sides are void. FIG- URE 1 also illustrates a removable plate mounted on the bars such as plate 28. Plate 28 may, for example, be a Lucite panel and has a surface substantially continuous with the surface of the first and second body supporting sections 10 and 11.

In FIGURE 3 bars 17 and 18 have each been moved in the same direction to provide a structure in which the right side is void. Panels 29 and 30 which are similar to panel 28 in FIGURE 1 have been placed on the bars and are supported by arms 19, 2t), 23 and 24.

In FIGURE 4, bars 17 and 18 have been moved to their positions remote from each other to leave the centre void. Panels 31 and 32 have been positioned similarly to panels 29 and 30.

In FIGURE 5, bars 17 and 18 have been moved in the same direction to leave void the side opposite to that indicated in FIGURE 3. Panels 33 and 34 are mounted similarly to panels 29 and 30.

As will be apparent from FIGURE 6, body supporting section 10 is provided with an end-wa1l and an internal web 41. Bearings 42 and 43 for shaft 25 are mounted respectively in end-wall 40 and web 41. Similarly, bearings 44 and 45 for shaft 22 are mounted in end-wall 40 and web 41. In the same way, body supporting section 11 has an end-wall 46 and a web 4'7 which support bearings 48 and 49 for shaft 26 and bearings 50 and 51 for shaft 21. A spring controlled plunger 52 is positioned in arm 23 to engage a recess 53 in end-wall 40 when arm 23 is in a horizontal position, similarly plunger 54 engages a recess 55 to give a releasable positioning of arm 21) in a horizontal position.

Sections 10 and 11 may include additional transversely extending strengthening webs such as web 56.

It will be appreciated that the structure which has been described enables each of the bars 17 and 18 to be moved in a direction transverse of the stretcher to provide four different positions, namely, a position with both sides void, one with the centre void, a position with the right side void and a position with the left side void. It will further be apparent that bar 17 and 18 and their supporting arms 20, 21, 23 and 24 will support removable panels which will provide continuity for the surface of the stretcher apart from the voids which have deliberately been left.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURE 8, members 17, 19 and 20 have been replaced with an integral V-shaped member comprising arms 61 and 62 and connecting portion 63. V-shaped member 60 is mounted between body supporting sections 10A and 11A by means of shafts 63 and 64 which are rotatable in bearings 65 and 66. The extent of movement of member 60 is limited by pin stops 67 and 68 which replace the spring controlled plunger 52 shown in FIGURE 6. Pin stops 67 and 68 permit member 61 to be rotated between positions in which it is in the horizontal plane of the stretcher.

I claim:

1. A stretcher comprising a first body supporting section a second body supporting section spaced from the first body supporting section and a pair of bars connecting said first and second sections and extending longitudinally of the stretcher, arms connected to the ends of each of said bars at one end of each of said arms and shafts connected to the other end of each of said bars, said shafts being mounted in the first and second body supporting sections respectively and providing for rotational movement so that said bars can be positioned to give voids at both sides of the stretcher, the centre of the stretcher or on either side of the stretcher.

2. A stretcher as in claim 1 comprising means releasably to lock said arms in a horizontal position.

3. A stretcher as in claim 1 comprising means releasably to lock said arms in a horizontal position and removable plates mounted on said bars and said arms and having a surface substantially continuous with the surface of said first and second body supporting sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,065,344 11/1962 Chervenka 269325 3,103,383 9/1963 Cannon et a1 297-416 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,539 3/ 1923 Germany.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

C. A. NUNBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRETCHER COMPRISING A FIRST BODY SUPPORTING SECTION A SECOND BODY SUPPORTING SECTION SPACED FROM THE FIRST BODY SUPPORTING SECTION AND A PAIR OF BARS CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND SECTIONS AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE STRETCHER, ARMS CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF EACH OF SAID BARS AT ONE END OF EACH OF SAID ARMS AND SHAFTS CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID BARS, SAID SHAFTS BEING MOUNTED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND BODY SUPPORTING SECTIONS RESPECTIVELY AND PROVIDING FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT SO THAT SAID BARS CAN BE POSITIONED TO GIVE VOIDS AT BOTH SIDES OF THE STRETCHER, THE CENTRE OF THE STRETCHER OR ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STRETCHER. 